


barrow the moonlight, until it is through

by charleia



Category: American Horror Story, American Horror Story: Murder House
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-09-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:48:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26198860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charleia/pseuds/charleia
Summary: based on all the tumblr prompts I receive! follow me on @charlily-n
Relationships: Billie Dean Howard/Nora Montgomery
Comments: 2
Kudos: 33





	1. as long as you're mine

**Author's Note:**

> based on the prompt: as long as I live you’ll never be alone

“Nora?”

Billie Dean threw her coat on the hanger and dropped her purse on the floor, “Sweetheart?” she called out.  _ Strange _ , Billie Dean thought, for most days Nora would already be standing in the entrance hall, waiting for Billie Dean’s return. “It’s me, it’s Billie Dean!”

No reply.

“Nora?” Billie Dean paced around the halls, checking every room, every hidden passage that Nora had shown her but Nora was nowhere to be found. One place left to look. “Baby?” Her heels clicked as she walked down the stone stairs to the basement, where she was met with soft cries. “Hey sweetheart,” slowly, tentatively, she approached the crying woman. 

Nora looked up, bewildered, cerulean eyes wide with panic. “Who are you?” she asked. “What are you doing here? How do you know who I am?”

Billie Dean sighed softly. Nora was having one of those days, it seemed. “It’s Billie Dean,” she said with a friendly smile, “You remember me?” softly, she began to hum a song, the song that Billie Dean always played for her after she had read that music had a benevolent effect on people with amnesia. “ _ I love you, baby, and if it’s quite alright, I need you baby, to warm these lonely nights, _ ” Billie Dean reached out her hand to Nora, _ “I love you baby, trust in me when I say… _ ” 

A spark of recognition lit up in Nora’s eyes. She knew this woman. She  _ loved _ this woman. A small, reserved smile crept onto her face as she took a step forward, taking Billie Dean’s hand in her own. “Billie Dean,” she said, with a soft sigh, “Oh, apologies, my darling, my head isn’t working quite right today, you know how it gets.”

“I do, baby, it’s okay,” Billie Dean kissed her cheek and continued to hum the song as she took Nora in her arms, gently swaying to the tune. “ _ Oh pretty baby, don’t bring me down I pray, oh pretty baby, now that I’ve found you, stay…” _

Relieved at the retrieval of her memories, Nora let out a sigh, resting her head to Bille Dean’s shoulder. “I’ve missed you today,” she whispered. “I felt so lost and so scared and I wanted to wait for you in our bedroom but all of the sudden you were gone and I had forgotten why exactly I was there so I fled to the only safe place I knew.”

“It’s okay, baby,” Billie Dean murmured, fingers tangling through her blonde curls, careful as to not disturb her injury. “It’s not your fault, you can’t help it. I forgot to leave a note this morning so let’s just say it’s on me. Hey?” Billie Dean maneuvered into Nora’s line of sight. “Okay, baby?”

Nora nodded, softly kissing Billie Dean’s nose. “Okay,” she said. 

“Good, now let’s go upstairs, I don’t like being here, it gives me the chills, we’re not alone here.” A chill ran down her spine as her eyes caught something in the corner of the room. “Come, baby, it’s getting late I need to get something to eat.”

  
  


One take out meal later, Billie Dean had laid down on the bed, arms spread open, a silent invitation for Nora to join her.

“Did I already tell you how much I missed you today?” Nora asked as she crawled into bed, curling up into a ball beside Billie Dean. She wrapped her arms around Billie Dean’s waist and rested her head to her shoulder. 

Billie Dean chuckled softly, kissing the top of Nora’s head. “Yes, baby, you did.”

“Oh… I forgot. But I really and truly did.” she said. “I always like it when you sing to me. I always miss you when you’re gone, I miss your hugs and your perfume,” she pressed her nose into the crook of Billie Dean’s neck. “You smell like lavender flowers,” she whispered, before pressing a kiss to her neck. She smiled briefly but Nora was prone to be capricious at times and within a second, her demeanour flipped around entirely. Tears trickled down her cheeks. “I was so lonely today,” she said, shoulders heaving as she cried. “I didn’t know where you were. I was scared that something would happen. I was scared that you had met someone else, someone more pretty and more interesting who  _ isn’t _ chained to a house, and that I’d be all alone again forever and--”

Billie Dean leaned in, brushing her lips against Nora’s. “Hush, now, baby. I am here now. I am always going to be there. “As long as I’ll live you will never be alone.” she said, “Better yet, when I’m gray and old and retired, I will make sure that I can move in full time. I will make sure I spend the very last moments of my life with you and after that, I will spend the rest of eternity with you, because I love you. I really do” Delicate hands framed Nora’s face, thumbs brushing away the tears. 

“I love you too,” Nora whispered, pressing a long, lingering kiss to Billie Dean’s lips. “Forever.”

“Forever,” Billie Dean agreed, “And then after that, too.”


	2. i'll make every last moment last

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> billie dean promised her salvation, but struggles to go through with it

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for the prompt:You know, I can’t imagine my life without you in it. You are so important to me, you are such a big part of my life, that I just… I can’t imagine you not here

Billie Dean had sought high and low. She had consulted every person that could possibly have the tiniest sliver of knowledge on the matter. It had taken her years, almost a decade, even. About as long as she had known Nora. From the very beginning, the two had been friends. Nora, volatile as she sometimes had the tendency to be, had really responded to Billie Dean’s calming aura and in return, Billie Dean had made it her mission to save Nora from the darkness brought forth by being tethered to the house. 

And she had finally done it.

Nearly eight years long they had shared anything and everything, but less than a couple hours from now, that would come to an end. And as she stood there now, on the precipice of an era so very dear to her, she can’t help but look back at all the moments she had spent with her dear friend, her soulmate.

She remembers their first meeting. Nora had been apprehensive, the poor woman had been through enough dread for three lifetimes. Her eyes had been puffy and red rimmed, but in spite of her reluctance, she quickly warmed up to Billie Dean. To most residents, Nora was just the annoying crying lady, but to Billie Dean, she was an opportunity. An opportunity to do something right for the deceased, spirits to whom she owed her very career.

She remembers moving into the Murder House. She had had a pact with all of them. They stay out of her way, she stays out of theirs. It worked for both, no unwanted visitors for the spirits, and Billie Dean had a roof over her head. Nora had enthusiastically prepared a celebratory meal, which is to say that she had Moira prepare it. Billie Dean had appreciated the gesture all the same. How could she not when Nora smiled at her so brightly? It was the brightest Billie Dean had ever even seen her smile and it warmed her heart.

Billie Dean sighed softly as she paces the room, sitting down with her hand hidden in her head. 

Then there were the nights, Nora was ever there for the nights when they got rough. And they did. Oh, they did. As it was, Billie Dean suffered from sleep paralysis. She wouldn’t get episodes as often anymore after Nora started sitting beside her as she slept. The first time it had happened, Nora was actually the one to help her snap out of her trance. That was the first time anyone had ever seen Billie Dean cry. Nora had pulled her in her arms and rocked her gently, murmuring that all would be right and then peacefully, Billie Dean had drifted back into her slumber.

If Billie Dean really thinks about it, Nora was there for all the big moments. When she got promoted, when she broke through as a medium, when her girlfriend dumped her. When she lost her job, lost everything. Nora was a constant in a vast sea of change.

Billie Dean stood up again, running her hand over the decorative pumpkins Chad had put all throughout the house and a shudder passed through her body. Though she would rather forget about it, she recalls that faithful halloween many moons ago . She had barely made it out alive.

And as always, it had been Nora who comforted afterwards, it was Nora who had made her feel safe again. It was always Nora. It had also been the moment that Billie Dean realised that somewhere along the way she had fallen for her best friend.

She had stuffed that realisation far, very far down. None of that. Nora wasn’t alive. Billie Dean was. They belonged to such different worlds. So she repressed it. Even though she had always had the feeling that things were entirely mutual. She would notice it in the small things, Nora had a very specific love language. She wouldn’t often tell you directly, only when she really and truly meant it, but she would show it by putting effort into doing things for you, give you heartfelt compliments, fleeting touches when she was feeling particularly brave.

By the time the two had figured it out that their friendship might be a little more than just platonic, it was already too late.

That night, yesterday night, Billie Dean and Nora had been watching a movie, snuggled closely together. Billie Dean lay with her head rested on top of Nora’s shoulder. Nora had murmured that she was rather tired, and she had laid down, tugging the duvet over herself, but holding one arm up for Billie Dean to join. It wasn’t the first time they had shared a bed but something in Nora’s eyes made Billie Dean feel as though this time something would be different.

In spite of that, she had scooted closer, into Nora’s arms.  _ You’re so cold _ , Billie Dean remarked. Nora simply shrugged.  _ Side effect of being dead, they say _ , she replied with a dry chuckle. Billie Dean snorted, unsure whether it was appropriate to laugh. She leaned a tad closer, the tip of her nose lightly brushing Nora’s. Nora had held her breath in anticipation.  _ Are you going to kiss me? _ She had whispered, Billie Dean had sighed,  _ It would be wrong _ . Nora had leaned in closer, lips like frozen rose petals softly pressing a long, lingering kiss to Billie Dean’s.  _ Then why does it feel so right? _

And Billie Dean, for the life of her, did not have a response to that. So she kissed her, again and again before breathlessly severing the kiss.

It was then that the high, ringing sound of Billie Dean’s phone drew them from their stupor.

Billie Dean ignored it at first, thumbs brushing over Nora’s lips before stammering out a  _ sorry _ .

  
  
  


That phone call had brought her here, to the present day.

From the moment they met, Billie Dean had promised her one thing. Salvation. Freedom from this rotten house. It had taken her quite a while to achieve that, and in that time, she and Nora had become a little family, which just made it all that much harder.

And so, as Billie Dean stands opposite Nora, willing herself not to cry, she explains calmly that she has indeed found a way for her to be free. Free from the infamously named Murder House.

“But what about us?” Nora’s lip starts to tremble. “I love you,”

“And I love you too,” Billie Dean says. “You know, I can’t imagine my life without you in it.” she continues. “ You are so important to me, you are such a big part of my life, that I just…” there is an audible crack in her voice, “I can’t imagine you not here. But I must not be selfish now,” she says. “You deserve peace, you deserve to rest now.” Billie Dean lifts her hands to cup Nora’s face, wiping away the tears. “I will love you forever. You will always remain in my heart, and if there is truly a heaven out there, I hope you’ll be waiting for me.”

Nora sniffled, but attempted a feeble smile. “I love you Billie Dean. I loved the bond we had. No one can take that away from us. But you’re right. It is time for me to pass on. It’s time for you to start living your life to the fullest,” She smiled through her tears, “I love you,” 

Tears start to flow down Billie Dean’s cheeks as well, now, “Oh come here you,” she murmurs, kissing Nora one last time, fiercely, passionately, holding her close to herself one last time and inhaling her perfume just one more time, to commit it to her memory.

Billie Dean looks up at her one more time and smiles, “Goodbye, my sweetheart.” And with that, she starts reading the incantation and a bright white light begins to emit from Nora’s skin, so bright, Billie Dean has to squint her eyes to look at her. Slowly, bit by bit, Nora begins to dissolve as the white light consumes her.

“Goodbye, my beloved,” Nora says, her smile is serene but with a hint of sadness, she is finally fully at peace, but it feels bittersweet. A translucent hand reaches up to cup Billie Dean’s face, fleetingly so. “You did well, baby, I am forever grateful.”

And with that, Nora was gone.

**Author's Note:**

> come find me on twitter @rroanokes or insta @pilliepies22 or tumblr ofc @charlily-n (also check out my shaudrey and foxxay ones!)


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